


Allegory

by Esperata



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Comics, M/M, Minor Bruce Banner/Thor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 19:02:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15914364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esperata/pseuds/Esperata
Summary: Malcolm has a very roundabout way of getting to what he wants to say.





	Allegory

**Author's Note:**

> Combining two of my favourite ships.

“Did you ever ship anyone?”

Trip was startled by the sudden question and momentarily thrown by the wording – what part of the ship was Malcolm talking about?

He looked up from his routine connection checking only to see Malcolm still focused on his own panel’s readouts.

“Huh?”

It was not very elegant but Trip honestly had no idea what the other man was referring to.

A brief glance was cast his way.

“In those comics you read,” Malcolm clarified. “Did you ever ship anyone?”

Trip frowned, still none the wiser for the added context.

“Ship?”

He received a surprised glance this time.

“You know. As in relation _ship_? Did you support any particular couples.”

“Oh.”

Trip understood but to be honest it still didn’t make much sense to him. What kind of question was that? And why should Malcolm be asking him now?

“I dunno,” he replied cautiously. “The normal ones I guess? Lois Lane and Superman.”

“Oh.”

There was a distinct hint of disappointment in the Brit’s voice and it spiked Trip’s curiosity.

“Why? Who’d you ‘ship’?”

This glance was decidedly more cautious and Trip waited to see if Malcolm would clam up or cough up. Finally he responded.

“I liked the more unconventional pairs but I followed Marvel more than DC. The movies, not the comics,” he added, seemingly anxious to maintain his perceived literary standards.

“Uh huh. So who was your favourite?” Trip persevered.

It wasn’t anything Trip was interested in five minutes ago but now he really wanted to know. He was given another speculative glance.

“Thor and Bruce Banner.”

Trip had to think about that a few seconds.

“Hulk and the god of thunder? Was that even a thing?”

He got given a familiar withering look.

“That’s the point of ships Trip. They don’t have to be canon. In fact most of them aren’t.”

Malcolm turned back to his work and Trip was left to ponder this new idea. However he was still stuck on why Malcolm should have brought it up in the first place.

“So… uh… who was your favourite? Hulk or Thor?”

“I’d say I identified most with Banner actually.”

Trip nodded though Malcolm wasn’t looking. He could understand how the reclusive Brit might identify with the repressed scientist. Another thought struck him.

“And who’d you think I’m like?”

There was a long pause and Malcolm leant closer to his screen. Trip might have thought he didn’t hear the question except for the fact his hearing was superb.

“I’d say… Thor.”

Malcolm was clearly aiming for casual but there was a tension in his voice that Trip couldn’t fail to notice. He grinned.

So Malcolm identified himself with Banner, thought Trip was akin to Thor, and apparently supported the idea of them as a couple.

“Full of subtext those comics, aren’t they?” He waited for the expected anxious glance to come his way. “Ya know, you could just ask me out like a normal person.”

“I’d hardly describe either of us as normal.”

Trip laughed and nodded, pleased to see some of the tension leave Malcolm’s shoulders.

“So would you say yes if I did?” he asked awkwardly.

“I _am_ saying yes, ya dork.”

Malcolm grinned before turning back to his panel, Trip suspected more to hide his pleased embarrassment than to do anything useful. He let the silence reign a minute before saying,

“So ya think I’m godly?”

He can feel the smirk even without Malcolm turning.

“Actually, I thought you were both rather like exuberant puppies.”

“So ya think I’m cute?” Trip pressed.

Malcolm cast a fond look at him.

“Yes, I think you’re cute.”

“Cool.”


End file.
